Malcolm Gladwell says golf is 'crack for rich white guys' in new podcast

Malcolm Gladwell's "Revisionist History" podcast is one of the best out there. He covers country music, McDonald's French fries and his hatred of golf in clever and unexpected ways.(Photo: Courtesy Revisionist History)

Looking for something new to listen to while you drive to work/go for a walk/wash the dishes? We're here for you. In a weekly series, we're highlighting a podcast, audio personality or specific story worth hearing.

Journalist and best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell isn't subtle about his disdain for golf.

In fact, in a new episode of his podcast Revisionist History from Panoply Media, he calls the sport "crack cocaine for old white guys." Take a listen to an exclusive clip from the June 15 episode "A Good Walk Spoiled."

Podcast Pick: Revisionist History Season 2

Gladwell devotes the entire Season 2 premiere episode of his popular podcast to talk about what he calls "the problem with golf," a sport that he isn't shy about saying he hates. "Hopefully, at the end of this (podcast), you'll hate golf, too," he tells listeners.

A couple of reasons he isn't keen on going out on the green? For one, there's data showing that a CEO's golf "addiction" negatively impacts his company (failed investment bank Bear Stearns is a prime example), and also taxes for golf clubs are unfairly and artificially low, meaning taxpayers help fund the hobby of the wealthy.

Along with the show on golf, Gladwell's new episodes of RH will explore the secret McDonald's French fries recipe and the real family behind the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision.

Malcolm Gladwell's "Revisionist History," where the bestselling journalist says he gives the past "a second chance," is back for a third season. After hearing the first episode that dissects important legal (mis)use of commas and semicolons, we're very self-conscious about the way this caption was written. Panoply

"The Habitat," with seven episodes available now, is like "Real World" but on a fake planet Mars and with plenty of dry food. Six volunteers document their time spent in a space that's smaller than a tennis court, to give astronauts an idea of what it might be like to live on the red planet in the future. Courtesy Gimlet

"The Daily" from "New York Times" delves deep into one major topic of the day, often covering it via an unexpected voice or angle, and with sound from the scene. It gives you that "I just learned something fascinating" afterglow. Courtesy The New York Times

Somehow, the hosts of "Invisibilia" have created profound and often heartfelt podcast about something as ephemeral as “invisible forces that shape human behavior.” Season 4 could be their best batch of episodes yet. Courtesy NPR

"Today, Explained" will keep you awake for your drive home from work. It's a clever explainer of news of the day, pristinely edited to include background music and a number of expert voices. Courtesy Vox

"Rick and Morty" writers Dan Harmon and Jessica Gao have candid conversations about writing and race in Hollywood on their podcast called "Whiting Wongs." Yes, the show is self aware. Courtesy Starburns Media

The podcast 'Criminal' is about "people who've done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle." The episode that features this art is about a police dog named Talon. Courtesy Radiotopia

How do you get back on your feet after an event that changes your life? And what if that event is you accidentally murdering your spouse? That's what nonfiction podcast "First Day Back" explores in its second season. Courtesy First Day Back

"Pen Pals," from the producers of CBC Radio podcast "Love Me," is a comedy podcast of imagined conversations with well known characters. The voices may sound familiar: There are TV stars featured on the show. Courtesy Pen Pals

Here's a story, from the creator of "Tanis," about an alternate reality game that might cause players to go insane. "Rabbits" is the serialized mystery of Carly's search for her friend, who participated in a game known as Rabbits before she went missing. Courtesy PRA

Podcast "Flash Forward" is for the sci-fi fan who thinks practically. The show, hosted by Rose Eveleth, comes up with a fictional future scenario, and then talks with experts on the real-life implications of that new thing. For example: How would the existence of artificial wombs impact our culture? Fascinating stuff. Courtesy Rose Eveleth

If you're answer to "How are you?" is "Terrible, thanks for asking," then this podcast is for you. Host Nora McInerny's tender and candid storytelling turns sob stories of loss into engaging tales of life and love. "TTFA" feels like a warm, tear-stained hug. American Public Media

The "Secrets, Crimes and Audiotape" podcast presents an immersive adaptation of "The Handmaid's Tale," which was available right before Hulu released a series based on the classic novel. Courtesy Wondery

If hearing about severed body parts doesn't bother you, "Hollywood & Crime" is a worthy listen. In the show's first season, it tackles unsolved Black Dahlia murder, which took place 70 years ago. Courtesy Wondery

"The Hilarious World of Depression," hosted by John Moe, presents frank (and funny) conversations with comedians who suffer from clinical depression. The insightful show aims to help people with depression feel less alone. Courtesy APM

In "With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus," comedian and actress Lapkus ("Jurassic World," "Orange is the New Black") has her real guests play fictional podcast hosts. She plays a guest on their show, in the improvised audio show that goes in unexpected directions. Emma McIntyre

On the three-part WBEZ podcast "Making Oprah," host Jenn White uses interviews (with, yes, Oprah and others) to tell the story of how a local TV co-host became one of the most influential people in the country. STEVE GREEN, Associated Press

The creators of "The Jinx" present "Crimetown," a riveting Gimlet Media show about corruption in different cities, starting with Providence, R.I. Tagline: "You can never tell the good guys from the bad guys." Courtesy Gimley

Podcast "Broadway Backstory" tells behind-the-scenes stories of hit Broadway musicals. Host Patrick Hinds features Lin-Manuel Miranda in his first show to talk about the "Hamilton" scribe's first hit, "In the Heights." Courtesy TodayTix

The "Presidential" podcast, from 'The Washington Post' editor Lillian Cunningham, has an insightful episode on every single U.S. president. Yep, even the ones you forgot about. Courtesy The Washington Post

Jenna and Bodhi Elfman are the voices of Franny and Jim, a couple that has to figure out whether they're still in love in the audio drama "A Beautiful Spell" from the new show "Secrets, Crimes and Audiotape." Courtesy of Wondery

Is organic food really better for you? Does the so-called G-spot exist? These are all questions that Australian science journalist Wendy Zukerman aims to answer in "Science Vs." Courtesy Wendy Zukerman

The show "Reply All" bills itself as "a show about the internet," but the web is really just a jumping-off point for fascinating
stories about everything from how pizza rat can be seen as
performance art, to One Direction conspiracy theories. Courtesy Gimlet Media

Mike Rowe, best known for hosting "Dirty Jobs," has a pithy audio show, "The Way I Heard It," which is perfect for podcast listeners that lack the attention spans for hour-long stories. MANDEL NGAN, AFP/Getty Images

The show uses science to answer questions like "Why now?" Specifically, "Why has sexual harassment has come to the forefront of public debate at this moment in time?" Answers include fascinating interviews and Shankar Vedantam's playful personality. Courtesy NPR